Hydrangea anomala subspecies petiolaris plant named ‘Kuga Variegated’

ABSTRACT

A new plant variety of  Hydrangea anomala  subspecies petiolaris having new shoots and foliage that emerge white, cream, pale yellow to pink with pink stems. Foliage goes through a phase in which leaves are flecked/dotted cream to pale yellow sometimes with margin pale yellow in an irregular variegated pattern. Mature foliage is viridescent with leaves becoming green.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct variety of Hydrangeaanomala D. Don. subspecies petiolaris (Sieb. & Zucc.) McClint., and wasdiscovered as a branch sport in a controlled planting of an unnamed,unpatented Hydrangea anomala subspecies petiolaris plant in Kuga-Cho,Kuga-Gun, Yamaguchi Prefecture, Japan, by Mr. Toshiro Shimuzu. Thevarietal denomination of the new variety is ‘Kuga variegated’.

The genus Hydrangea is included in the family Saxifragaceae whichcomprises about 80 genera and 1,200 species of herbs, shrubs, smalltrees, woody climbers mostly temperate in origin. Recent taxonomicaltreatments sometimes isolate Hydrangea in a new family, Hydrangeaaceae.Hydrangea comprises approximately 23 species of deciduous or evergreenshrubs and vines originating in North America, South America and EastAsia, many of which possess desirable ornamental characteristics.

Hydrangea anomala subspecies petiolaris is widespread and commonthroughout Japan and some locations within Korea. It generally hasopposite, oval to rounded leaves 5 to 10 cm long and 3 to 8 cm wide.Leaves are acute or acuminate to apex, cordate or round at the base.Leaf margins are serrate, glabrous on surface. The plant is deciduous.Foliage color is dark green on the top surface, and pale green on theunderside, depending on light. The species Hydrangea anomala differsfrom H. anomala subspecies petiolaris by having smaller leaves, corymbsare smaller and stamen count is 9 to 15. All Hydrangea anomala sub.petiolaris have a juvenile and adult phase of growth. Plants in thejuvenile growth phase have smaller leaves and do not flower. Some foliarcharacteristics change as the plant enters the adult phase as well andbegins to flower.

Inflorescenses of Hydrangea anomala subsp. petiolaris bloom in June toJuly, are 15 to 25 cm wide, with sepals in groups of 3 to 5 on the outerflorets. The inner florets are fertile, and slightly fragrant with 15 to22 stamens.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The new variety has new shoots and foliage that emerge white, cream,pale yellow to pink, with pink stems. Foliage goes through a phase inwhich leaves are flecked/dotted cream to pale yellow sometimes withmargin pale yellow in an irregular variegated pattern. Mature foliage isviridescent with leaves becoming green. Asexual reproduction of the newvariety by stem cuttings performed in Yamaguchi Prefecture, Japan;Lewisberry, Pa.; and Vacaville, Calif.; have confirmed that thedistinctive characteristics of the new variety are stable andtransmitted to suceeding generations.

COMPARISON WITH PARENT

The new variety differs from its parent in coloration of new shoots andfoliage that emerge white, cream, pale yellow to pink, with pink stems,becoming flecked/dotted cream to pale yellow sometimes with pale yellowmargins in an irregular variegated pattern.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF ILLUSTRATIONS

The accompanying illustrations show specimens of the new cultivar in aphoto illustration as true to color as is reasonably possible to make inan illustration of this character.

FIG. 1 shows the new foliage as well as the secondary foliage prior tomaturation;

FIG. 2 illustrates the new growth as well as the newly emerged growth;and

FIG. 3 is an illustration of the secondary foliage with the distinctflecked/dotted cream to pale yellow variegation.

DESCRIPTION OF THE NEW VARIETY

‘Kuga Variegated’ has not been observed under all possibleenvironmental, cultural, and light conditions. The followingobservations and descriptions are of 5-year-old plants grown in10-gallon containers at Lewisberry, Pa., and Vacaville, Calif. In thedescription, color references are to The Royal Horticultural SocietyColour Chart (1995) and terminology used in the color descriptionsherein refers to plate numbers in this color chart. Phenotypicexpression may vary with light intensity, cultural, and environmentalconditions.

CLASSIFICATION

Botanical: Hydrangea anomala D. Don. subspecies petiolaris (Sieb. &Zucc.) McClint. ‘Kuga Variegated’.

Parentage: Branch sport of a Hydrangea anomala subspecies petiolarisplant (unnamed, unpatented).

Propagation: By vegetative cuttings.

Plant:

Size.—Mature plant can climb and spread to about 16 meters at maturity.

Habit.—A clinging vine climbing with root like holdfasts.

Leaves.—Opposite, simple, ovate to ovate oval, about 5 to 10 cm long, 3to 8 cm wide; acute or acuminate at apex, cordate at base.

Left margin.—Serrate.

Stems.—Hirsute on new growth.

Internodes.—4 cm in length.

COLOR OF LEAVES IN THREE DIFFERENT GROWTH PHASES

New growth:

Variegation leaf top.—Near 41B.

Variegation leaf underside.—Near 41B.

Stems.—Near 47B.

Secondary growth:

Variegation leaf top.—Near 2B to 2C.

Variegation leaf bottom.—Near 2B to 2D.

Mottled variegation region.—Near 147A.

Mature growth:

Top of leaf.—Near 147A.

Leaf bottom.—Near 147C.

Leaf size.—Average about 5 to 10 cm long and 3 to 8 cm wide.

Shape.—Ovate to nearly ovate oval.

Texture and substance.—Firm and glabrous above and below.

Leaf apex.—Acute to ovate oval.

Leaf base.—Cordate.

Petioles.—About 5 mm long; near Red Group 47B.

Hardiness.—USDA Zone 4 (−30 F. to −20 F.).

Pest/diseases.—No pest or disease problems noted.

Inflorescence:

Bloom period.—Early to mid-summer.

Lastingness of individual bloom.—To 3 weeks.

Inflorescence form.—Flat corymbs, 3 to 5 corymbs per plant, outerflorets sterile, inner florets fertile.

Inflorescence size.—About 15 to 25 cm wide.

Color.—White.

Fragrance.—Sweet.

Outer florets.—Grouping of 3 to 5 sepals, sterile, about 5 to 10 cmwide.

Number of sepals per floret.—12 to 18.

Sepal length.—Approximately 2.5 cm.

Sepal width.—Approximately 2.5 cm.

Sepal shape.—Round.

Sepal margin.—Entire.

Sepal color.—Top near White Group 155A; bottom near White Group 155A.

Inner florets.—Fertile.

Stamens.—About 15 to 20.

Pistils.—1.

Fruit.—Capsule, dehiscent.

I claim:
 1. A new plant of Hydrangea anomala subspecies petiolarissubstantially as shown and described.